Alexander Koleoglou

Alexander Koleoglou, who loved sailing, golf, Montauk, and, most of all, his wife, died July 26 at Southampton Hospital of heart failure, after a brief illness. He was 86.

Born in the Bronx July 26, 1928, to Michael Koleoglou and the former Alexandra Georgiades, he grew up in the Bronx, and graduated from Stuyvesant High School, one of the most prestigious public schools in New York, in 1945. His family urged him to go to one of the city’s universities, which at the time were free. But instead, in February 1946 he enlisted in the Army and served overseas, stationed in Italy, which was then recovering from World War II.

His older sister, Martha Koleoglou of Montauk, spoke yesterday about when he returned home. Their father wanted his only son to go to college, as his sisters had done. But, Mr. Koleoglou went into the construction business in New York. He eventually rose to the level of supervisor, working on many big projects.

The Koleoglou family had begun vacationing in Montauk in 1952. “We would come out in two cars. We stayed in the Lido Motel. There were no sidewalks. The point had a lot of sand,” his sister said. The entire family fell in love with the hamlet.

Mr. Koleoglou had always loved sailing. “He had his first sailboat when he was 17,” his sister said. At the time, the sailboats were UpIsland.

At a luncheonette in Oceanside, Mr. Koleoglou met his future wife, Anneliese Bundschuh, a German immigrant. They were married in 1957. The couple lived first in Long Beach, before he built a house for his young family in Baldwin.

The family loved to travel and returned several times to Mrs. Koleoglou’s native land.

Once married, Mr. and Mrs. Koleoglou began sailing to Montauk and docking along East Lake Drive.

In 1979, he bought land in Montauk near the golf course. His sons, who were also in construction, built a house on the site, which the couple used for several years. Both husband and wife loved golf and became regulars at Montauk Downs. He also built a 30-foot sailboat, which he was very proud of.

After the couple sold the first house, they bought land in the Panorama area of Montauk, between Flamingo and Fairview Avenues and made their home there full time.

Mr. Koleoglou was an early believer in alternative sources of energy, as far back as 1980. He began installing solar panels on structures he built, and eventually embraced the technology of wind power, as well.

His wife suffered a stroke several years ago, and Mr. Koleoglou had been her caretaker since. “She was his life,” his sister said.

He is survived by another sister, Aster Stein of Montauk, two sons, Peter Koleoglou and Michael Koleoglou, both of Southampton, and three grandchildren. A third sister, Mary Paulides, died before him.

A funeral service was held July 30 at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons in Southampton with the Rev. Constantine Lazarakis presiding. Burial followed at Fort Hill Cemetery in Montauk.

The family has suggested donations to the Montauk ambulance, care of the Montauk Fire Department, 12 Flamingo Avenue, Montauk 11954 or the Montauk Community Senior Nutrition Center, 240 Edgemere Street, Montauk.